Meanwhile, back in Mess-O'-Potamia

It's easy to lose sight of the comings and goings in Iraq, what with the Supreme Court shuffle in full dance band mode, Plamegate heating up again, DeLay and Frist facing the music and Gulf Coast still in disarray. But we don't want to lose sight of Dear MisLeader™'s biggest debacle of them all. Yesterday, while the press was primarily focused elsewhere, some top U.S. generals testified before Congress that the total number of fully battle ready battalions of Iraqi forces (you know... the ones who are going to relieve us so our troops can leave?) has dropped to exactly... ONE.

The number of Iraqi army battalions that can fight insurgents without U.S. and coalition help has dropped from three to one, top U.S. generals told Congress yesterday, adding that the security situation in Iraq is too uncertain to predict large-scale American troop withdrawals anytime soon.

Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who oversees U.S. forces in Iraq, said there are fewer Iraqi battalions at "Level 1" readiness than there were a few months ago. Although Casey said the number of troops and overall readiness of Iraqi security forces have steadily increased in recent months, and that there has not been a "step backwards," both Republican and Democratic senators expressed deep concern that the United States is not making enough progress against a resilient insurgency.

Did the Washington Post just hire Judy Miller after she got out of jail? Look at the two emphasised sections above. In the first, the General says that the number of ready battalions has dropped from three to one. Then, apparently in the next breath, he says the number of troops is steadily increasing and there hasn't been a "step backwards." Contradict yourself much?

Here's an interesting observation from The Democratic Veteran. (Check out this entire post, by the way... it's a good one.)

The only sure facts in Mess O'Potamia, no one has fucking clue about what's going to happen when the sun comes up every day except for two things: it's gonna be hot, and the sun will set in the west. Hopefully.

We can either admit that Bush messed this entire thing up royally from day one (whether or not you want to believe he intentionally lied about it is up to the reader) and pull the hell out of Iraq now, or the Pentagon is going to have to start considering lowering the minimum enlistment age to twelve and the minimum education standards to "able to mark an X on the application form." Otherwise, we're going to run out of troops who are able to stand up and walk.

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW.